1960 Suzy Perette Repro for Gene

 

 

This is a dress I've wanted to make for a while but finding the right fabric was the holdup.  The original dress (pic at end) was silk but it's tough to find silk prints in a small enough scale for dolls.  But when I found this gorgeous watercolor print rayon batiste,  I could see this dress in it.  I crunched as much fullness into the skirt as I could and the dress comes with a separate blue tulle petticoat to keep it full.  The belt is attached so no fiddling with tiny buckles.  The dress lining is a light blue silk/cotton and the this dress closes with snaps in the back.  The flower embellishment is made from the same fabric sealed with Fraycheck and has little seed beads in the center.  I thought it needed an accessory so I created a little silk taffeta clutch.  The bag does not open; it's embellished along the edge with tiny silver beads.  The dress is being modeled by the lovely Zita and the new Jamieshow Evelyn.  Dress, petticoat and clutch are available for $140 plus $6 boxed shipping in the US.  Email me at nwickman@chartermi.net if interested.  

Silk Twill and Leopard Print Coat Set for Gene

I got my new Jamieshow Evelyn doll in the mail the other day and that always inspires me to make something.  So Evelyn is dressed for holiday parties.  This cranberry silk twill is a remnant I picked up from Farmhouse Fabics, I think.  It was a little heavier than I expected so it was only suited to a coat and a pencil dress. Plus I've always liked the combination of red and leopard print.  The leopard "fur" is Minky with a tiny animal print. I did a couple of new things with this coat, the first being actual welt pockets.  I've done them years ago on human clothes but this is my first time trying it in miniature.   I made a little template of cardboard that I could trace on the back of the coat for the stitching lines.  I also used a tiny stitch length in the corners so I could clip them as close as possible.  Another issue that crops up with turned up cuffs is they tend to crumple the sleeve.  So for this coat I lightly shirred the edges of the cuff and the lining to make them slightly wider than the coat sleeves.  I kept the dress pretty simple but elegant due to the fabric weight.  Everything is lined in nude silk/cotton to reduce the risk of color transfer.  The dress has a zipper closure in the back and I added hook and eye closures to the coat.  I tried different buttons but I didn't thing they added anything so I left them off.  And, of course, she had to have a "fur" hat.  This outfit is available for $175 plus $6 boxed shipping in the US.  Email me at nwickman@chartermi.net if interested.  

 

And here it is modelled by Gene Pas De Deux so the hat also works the Gene heads.  

Floral Silk Taffeta Gown for Gene

 

SOLD  Thanks. I don't remember where I found this piece of floral silk taffeta but I had the perfect dress in mind for it.  You can see the inspiration pic at the end of the post.  The image was intentionally blurry so this is my interpretation of it.  This taffeta is heavier than tissue weight so that necessitated a gathered circle skirt. The skirt and bodice are fully lined in dark pink silk/cotton.  The bodice of the dress is fairly straightforward but the silk organza over bodice was another story.  I drafted the pattern with more ease in it to fit over the bodice.  It worked out perfectly lengthwise but I did have to let it out at the side seams.  To avoid too many seams, I sewed the tulle lining to the neck and the back openings first, and did the same with the sleeve hems.  Once those were turned, I treated the two layers as one piece when it came to the darts, setting in the sleeves, and the side seams.  I also used an 80 weight thread for this so the thread doesn't really show at all.  All the seams were then trimmed to 1/8 inch and finished with a zigzag stitch.  The dress closes with snaps in the back with a little pearl and thread loop closure at the top of the sheer layer.  The back opening is also decorated with black crystal pearls and I used the same pearls as "buttons" on the front.  The dress is finished with a black taffeta belt that snaps in the back although I think I'm going to take a look at Joann and see if I can find some black patent faux leather.  I think I would like the contrast.  I then made a matching necklace and earrings with the same pearls.  Dress and jewelry are available for $160 plus $6 boxed shipping in the US.  Email me at nwickman@chartermi.net if interested.  

Note:  I did use the dressing hands that come with Jamieshow dolls, but for regular Gene dolls, I would put a little plastic bag corners over the hands to prevent her thumbs from getting caught in the tulle lining, although it is possible to dress her if you're careful when putting the sleeves on.  

And finally, here is the picture from the 50's that inspired this gown.  

Blue Wool Repro Suit for Gene

SOLD  Thanks!  While I was waiting on some lining fabric to arrive from China, I needed a project to work on.  Since I bought a remnant of this gorgeous pale blue tropical weight wool from Farmhouse Fabrics, I decided to reproduce a suit from the 50s (pic at end).  The suit had a fur collar but I wanted to carry the "fur" further so I added a "fur" hat and muff.  The princess-seamed suit front has little slits with tiny bows.  Here's where the problem was.  I tried to turn a tiny tube of this fabric but it just wouldn't work.  So I searched through my 40-year-old stash of silk ribbon and was lucky enough to find an exact match,  Even luckier, I had matching buttons.  The skirt has a back walking slit and the jacket closes with snaps.  The "fur" is 3mm pile Minky Cuddle.  It's the perfect scale for dolls.   The hat works for both Gene and Jamieshow dolls.  The suit, had and muff are available for $160 plus $6 boxed shipping in the US.  Email me at nwickman@chartermi.net if interested.  

 

And finally, the inspiration pic. 

Plaid Silk Repro Gown for Gene

 

SOLD  Thanks!  This is a gown inspired by a vintage Simplicity pattern (pic at end).  I found the perfect fabric for it at SilksUnlimited--a beautiful silk tissue taffeta plaid with a subtle vine embroidery.  For the bodice I did start with the Bewitched pattern from Designs by Jude but I made some modifications to it--changed the neckline a bit, made it longer, took it in at the waist.  The dress is completely lined in silk/cotton and has a zipper closure in the back and matching stole.  It's finished with a big loopy bow just below the waist.  I debated on whether to line the front flounces but I didn't think they would drape right, so I decided to do a narrow machine hem instead.  This is a picture of the flounce pattern so you can see that that was a bit difficult to do around the tight curves. 

The other option would have been a narrow zigzag all along the edge but that would have been more noticeable.

 Dress and stole are available for $145 plus $6 for US shipping.  Email me at nwickman@chartermi.net if interested.  

And finally, the inspiration for this gown.  

Jade Green Gown Finished!

As I mentioned earlier, I'm not too into bridal so I picked a gorgeous jade green silk tissue taffeta to complete this gown.  The dress required 3/4 of a yard of fabric and it was a lot of work from start to finish.  I'll share a few pictures of the making of it before I get to the rest of the models.  

I constructed the lining first and, in the process, decided that the sleeves needed a bit more ease in the cap so I recut them.  

Lining is done and fit to my old yellow beat up Gene who now works as my fit model.  I like to use a lighter color lining material to hopefully prevent discoloring of the doll.  

The bodice is completed and the zipper is set in.  The lining has to be hand stitched to the dress around the zipper.  Because of the zipper and the way this constructed, I also had to hand stitch the bottom sleeve edges together.  Usually that's done before sewing the side seams but because of the back being stitched closed, I couldn't make it work. 

Now I have to sew the front and back flounces together and gather them into the upper skirt.  

The flounce is sewn to the gown and the lining is pinned in place ready to be hand stitched to the dress.  After hemming, I added a little rhinestone brooch at the neck.  Underneath the skirt is a two-tiered tulle petticoat to give it fullness.  Of course, there had to be an accessory so I went with a hat made from the same silk.  The hat is wired inside to shape to the head and is trimmed with silk ribbon, a rhinestone ornament and a feather.  Gown and hat are available for $230 plus $6 boxed shipping in the US.  Email me at nwickman@chartermi.net if interested.  Now onto the finished dress as modeled by Jamieshow Liz.  The back is really dramatic.  

And here it is being modeled by Gene.  

 

Pattern-Making Part 2--The Muslin

Time to try out the pattern and see where it needs adjusting.  I'm just using a piece of white cotton here.  The side back and back went together well.  The side front needed a little adjustment at the armhole.  Nothing major.  

But after I fit it to the doll, it was gaping at the armhole so I ripped it out almost to the dart to take in the side front.  

The new seam pinned.  I took the extra fullness only out of the side front piece and the corresponding pattern piece.   

Fits much better in the armhole area now.  I didn't change the dart points on the muslin but I did on the pattern.  The side seams are basted together for a fitting..  I decided that it needed to be nipped in at the waist a bit and at the top of the center front just a tad.  At this time I also decided I wanted to widen the neckline and drew it on with a heat erasable marker. 

I also decide to nip in the waist in the back just a bit.  Other than that, I'm happy with the way the back is fitting.  I cut a 3/8" seam for the back opening because I plan to put a zipper in this one.  Shout out to Tamara Casey of Fletcher Pattern Company.  She's the only one I know of who sells 12" zippers.  The standard 4 1/2" just isn't long enough.  

I've redrawn the new neckline and trimmed the pattern pieces where I nipped in the waist.  You can see the new dart drawn on the front piece.  

To try out the collar, I just trimmed away all of the seam allowances except for the neck edge.

  I stitched the collar to the right side of the bodice , clipped the seam and then top-stitched the seam allowance down to the inside.  

With the doll on the stand, I realize that I need to add more length as I plan on a petticoat under the dress.  So I added another 7/8",  which included a small rolled hem.  I only plan to line this as far down as the flounce.

With everything but the bust dart adjusted, I'm pretty satisfied with the fit now but I'm still wondering if I should lower the vee of the neckline a little more.  I didn't bother with the back flounce because I know it's going to be longer than the front, and you can see that it's going to be a very full, dramatic skirt.  My measurements are accurate so I'm not too concerned about the sleeves fitting either so I didn't set those in.  The bodice was my main focus.  

But when looking at the back and gauging that the flounce starts below her knees, I decide to lengthen the upper skirt pieces to create more of a sweep in the back.  Also, looking at the picture of the original dress, the length of the upper skirt and the length of the flounce appear to be about equal. 

 So I taped pieces of my paper to the bottoms and drew a new cutting line.  So that's about it.  Hours of work put in already and I haven't even cut out the actual dress.  I think this would be really pretty in silk tissue taffeta and it's going to take close to a yard.  But what color to use?  I have white but I'm not really big into bridal.  I'm thinking a jewel tone would give it drama.  What do you think?